Chapter 97

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 97: Ilsung Guild (2)

Inside the meeting room of Ilsung Guild.

Guild Master Nam Cheolmin, along with the vice guild masters and key executives, gathered in one place.

“We need to oppose this investment with our lives at stake! Our support from conglomerates is already dwindling, and this could further reduce it.”

“That’s right. 60 trillion is an outrageous valuation.”

It was a rare occasion for the chairman to be actively involved.

Naturally, opposing him was daunting.

But if it meant overturning their livelihoods, that was a different story.

Even worms wriggle when stepped on.

And these weren’t just any worms; they were highly successful awakeneds in Korea.

Now, with Ilsung, once a conglomerate, seemingly intent on raising others in their place, they were prepared to stand up firmly.

‘It’s worth a try.’

They weren’t opposing with baseless claims.

60 trillion.

And that’s for just 20% ownership.

Admittedly, Money Talks Guild was doing well. But this valuation was clearly crossing the line.

Even clearing an A+ gate didn’t warrant such a valuation.

Even if A+ gates were difficult, they were nothing compared to S-rank gates.

And with only three guild members.

Yet their value was estimated close to that of 1.5th tier guilds globally.

[TL/N:I don’t understand this ranking with points in them!! Tf is a 1.5th tier ranking!! If someone has any idea pls do tell me]

“We absolutely need to reduce this amount.”

It was only natural.

60 trillion was a significant sum even for Ilsung. Spending such a large amount at once would tighten the belt elsewhere.

There was no escaping this financial chill for Ilsung Guild.

“Even if we’ve stagnated at 5th place…”

“They’re trying to push us aside?”

The more they thought about it, the more infuriating it became.

Had they only been at Ilsung’s mercy?

No.

Ilsung had invested generously, and in return, the guild supplied various materials, equipment, and mana stones by clearing gates.

While Ilsung’s investment might not have brought staggering profits, it at least ensured they didn’t suffer losses.

Just declaring a boycott would deal a huge blow to Ilsung.

Factories would grind to a halt. Of course, they hadn’t considered such extreme measures.

Where else could they find a guild that paid such hefty salaries?

Especially now, with Dorim, the 2nd in the industry, crumbling.

Finding a guild as comfortable as Ilsung in Korea was difficult.

It was more like, “Let’s just live and let live.”

Perhaps this was the chairman’s intention all along.

Isn’t that how negotiations usually went?

You start by asking for a lot.

Then even if you cut it in half, it’s still a satisfactory result.

The same went for the 60 trillion investment.

Originally, they had only planned to invest 30 trillion, but calling for 60 trillion first was likely. Of course, 30 trillion was still a significant sum…

“But that’s inevitable.”

“Still, we’re a strong guild.”

“If we push too hard, we might get cut off.”

Being a breadwinner didn’t make them invincible.

They knew that if they boasted too much, they might attract unwanted attention. It wasn’t entirely impossible, but they weren’t at that level yet.

So, instead of outright opposing it, they planned to halve the investment. That way, it would be a win-win situation for both parties.

“But how do we handle this? Honestly, we’ve been uneasy since the initial 5 trillion investment, and now the investments keep increasing. Aren’t we risking too much?”

The faces of the guild members hardened at the awakening of one awakened individual’s concern.

It was clear to everyone that the chairman’s favor was leaning towards the Money Talks Guild.

“Well, even with all the investments, we’ve been stuck at 5th place for years, so it’s understandable if the chairman’s favoring them.”

“Then we need to show something as well…”

Easier said than done.

Improving their ranking?

If it were that simple, they would have been ranked first by now.

If raising their ranking was difficult, then they had to show something in gate raids.

The gates they had raided so far ranged from A-rank to the low-level S-rank gates.

“Should we challenge a mid-level S-rank gate?”

Even among S-rank gates, there were distinctions based on internal scores. Surpassing them wasn’t an easy task.

Of course, success would be valuable.

Levels, experience, items, and more.

They could gain a lot, but the problem was risking their lives.

“For now, let’s discuss this later.”

“Agreed.”

That’s when it happened.

A number flashed on Guild Master Nam Cheolmin’s phone.

He quickly answered the call.

“Yes, Chairman. What? A guild battle? With the Money Talks Guild?”

“…?”

Whether the guild members noticed or not…

Nam Cheolmin continued the call.

“We’re facing Money Talks Guild with our first team, not even the second team? Huh… And you’re thinking of making it public to the media?”

Nam Cheolmin chuckled incredulously.

Then, with a smirk, he spoke into the receiver.

“Yes, understood. We have our own plans as well. We’ll schedule it soon and get back to you. Yes, of course. We’re confident.”

Confidently speaking, Nam Cheolmin boldly exclaimed.”

What if we lose? Well… Chairman, we’re Ilsung Guild. The Ilsung Guild that clears S-rank gates! It’s unlikely to happen, but if it does…”

Nam Cheolmin, with a gleam in his eyes, said.

“We’ll fully agree to all investments from now on. Yes, of course, we’ll gracefully accept defeat if it comes to that. There won’t be any complaints afterward. Yes, understood.”

Nam Cheolmin ended the call and looked at the guild members.

“We’ll have a guild battle soon. Us against the Money Talks Guild.”

“Huh. Is that for real?”

“Are they insane? It’s just three of them!”

The executives were bewildered.

The first team consisted of a whopping 30 members.

Moreover, the party composition was well-balanced.

Tankers, dealers, healers.

And plenty of buffers.

Their levels were high too.

On the other hand, what about the members of Money Talks Guild?

Kim Minwoo and Park Siwoo were newcomers who had only awakened for less than three months.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

The only awakened member worth noting was Sword of Justice. But even she couldn’t take on the entire guild alone.

Even if she changed her profession to an archer, it would be the same.

“Heh, looks like they’re banking on clearing an A+ rank gate.”

“It seems that way. Well, it’s the most ambitious move they could make.”

They weren’t underestimating them.

They acknowledged Money Talks Guild’s potential.

But it seemed too rushed.

If it were about a year from now, they would have taken it seriously.

“But, things are different now.”

They weren’t pushovers themselves.

Clearing an A+ rank gate and defeating Cho Pilwook?

That was incomparable to hunting with the first team.

“Let’s schedule it right away.”

“The sooner, the better.”

“It’s been a while since we stirred up some media attention.”

An inevitable fight.

And it would generate a lot of buzz, so why not use it to increase their value through media exposure?

Their faces lit up with excitement.

Then, Nam Cheolmin looked at the guild members with a serious expression.

“Still, we mustn’t let our guard down. I know the Chairman’s personality. He’s not someone who would invest tens of trillions just because he’s the eldest son. There must be something more.”

“Yes. We’ll do our best too.”

The Ilsung Guild members responded earnestly.

It was understood that they would give their best effort. They couldn’t afford to lose here.

The scheduling was done in no time.

* * *

Park Siwoo, Seo Yerim.

And even Kim Minwoo.

All the guild members were gathered in one place.

“Well, let’s all get on the same page while we’re at it.”

The guild battle was scheduled to happen soon.

Additionally, there was a reservation for the Super Rookie Selection Battle.

It was necessary to coordinate at least once.

“Hey, Whitey!”

―Coo.

Whitey flew into Seo Yerim’s arms. She gently stroked the bird’s head as she held it.

“Even after a long time, you’re still cute.”

―Coo Coo.

Looking at Yerim cuddling the bird, she asked.

“Are we really going to participate in the guild battle?”

“If Ilsung Guild doesn’t refuse, it’s going to happen.”

But there was no reason for them to refuse.

They believed they would win.

Then, Kim Minwoo, who received a call, smiled.

“They accepted. It will be held at the Sangam Awakening Arena in two days.”

“Wow, Hyung. Isn’t that a really big arena?”

“It is. It’s a place usually used for national events.”

Although it was quite a nice place for an event like the guild battle, it wasn’t too difficult to secure the venue. Money could solve anything.

“It will be broadcasted by all three broadcasting stations. We’ll need to coordinate well to avoid embarrassment, right?”

Both nodded.

While there wasn’t exactly no pressure in having just three people participate in the guild battle, they didn’t think they would lose either.

That was also the case for Park Siwoo, who was still relatively inexperienced.

She asked Siwoo, who seemed confident.

“What’s your level, Siwoo?”

“149.”

“You’re still a newbie.”

“…How about you, Hyung?”

“Me? 220.”

“…220?!”

Park Siwoo’s eyes widened.

Well, he knew that Kim Minwoo leveled up quickly, but…

‘What kind of speed is this?’

He hadn’t been lazy. Whenever he had time, he would enter gates and even wield the Holy Sword, yet there was a significant level gap.

‘Does this even make sense?’

Usually, leveling up would slow down as one’s level increased, right?

It felt like common sense was being shattered. As he stared at Kim Minwoo, dumbfounded, he spoke.

“Dueling doesn’t seem to have much meaning. Let’s tackle a gate. A-ranked.”

Gates were usually the best places to coordinate without any worries about attracting attention.

One could freely practice coordination in real combat without any special scrutiny.

Since starting with an S-rank gate might be a bit tough, they decided to warm up with an A-rank gate.

At his words, Seo Yerim nodded.

“A-rank? But the guild battle is in two days.”

“We can just clear it before then. I’m thinking of going to a tight map. How about here? The Giant’s Dungeon in Paju.”

The difficulty level was among the highest for A-rank gates.

The monsters were literally giants, humanoid but with larger builds.

Moreover, they were equipped and had formations, with a diverse distribution of occupations.

Each group consisted of giant priests, wizards, warriors, archers, knights, and so on, creating a balanced mix of professions.

Dealing with them would naturally be tricky.

Having a well-rounded composition is much stronger than not having one.

In other words,

“It’s similar to a guild.”

They also have a well-rounded composition.

The difference is that they’re a guild of large-sized humans. As difficult as the mobs might be, there were advantages too.

The map was straightforward.

You just break through everything in a straight line, defeat the boss, and clear it.

It was similar to the past clearance of Osiris’s Tomb.

“Siwoo will reach level 151 there.”

The entry level for the Super Rookie Selection Tournament was 151.

That’s how they qualify.

“Hyung, are we just going?”

“That’s the plan.”

Disguises and such.

They didn’t matter much now.

They weren’t going alone, and it wasn’t just the three of them clearing it.

And that too, with the outstanding Awakened, Seo Yerim.

So, they arrived at the Giant’s Dungeon in Paju with their companions.

“The Money Talks Guild?!”

“Are they here to clear this place?”

“Just the three of them? Awesome!”

The gazes of nearby soldiers and awakened individuals started to gather.

If they delayed any longer, the broadcasting companies would all come too.

“Here’s our guild ID.”

“We’ve confirmed all three members of the Money Talks Guild. You can enter.”

[A-rank gate, ‘Land of Giants,’ has been stepped into by the three.]

That’s how the three of them stepped into the gate.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]